The Traitor
by Jedi Knight247
Summary: VERY AU. pre AOTC.Padme Amidala is a Sith Apprentice with a mission: To spy on the Jedi and help turn Anakin to the dark side. But feelings begin to develop and threaten to jeopardize her mission. R
1. The Traitor

_**A/N**: Hi all! I've been thinking about typing this fic for a little while, and so I hope that you all enjoy it--even if you don't, feel free to let me know what I've done wrong, in a review._

_Thanks!_

**THE TRAITOR**

**Chapter One: The Traitor**

Darth Zorah walked confidently down through the corridors of the large headquarters; her master had abruptly asked to see her on a very important matter concerning the Jedi.

Darth Zorah was only an apprentice, but she had exceeded everyone's expectations, for she handled her lightsaber with such elegance and power—her name was quickly finding itself on Sith's lips.

The large double doors slid open and Darth Zorah stepped into the anteroom.

Her master was seated on a large backed chair and had been anticipating her arrival.

"Lady Zorah," he croaked in a low voice. "I am glad that you came at such short notice."

"Thank you, master," Zorah replied. "What would you have me to do?"

The Sith lord leaned forward in his chair, his eyes began to fill with excitement. "I have an important assignment for you, Lady Zorah; the most important one that you have ever undertaken in your time as a Sith apprentice."

Zorah narrowed her eyes as she waited for a further explanation. "What sort of mission, master?" she asked.

"I am going to place you into the very heart of the Jedi Order: I'm sending you to Coruscant."

Zorah's eyes widened. "Coruscant? Very well, my lord; but what is my mission in Coruscant?"

The Sith smiled, causing his face to crease with multiple wrinkles. "I want you to do two things while you are there. Firstly, I need you to spy on the Jedi; I don't want them to suspect any sort of Sith threat and my usual informants have not been…productive. Secondly, there is a very special Jedi within the walls of that Jedi Temple: you already know about Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, so I need not explain his talents, but the time has now come for him to turn and join us!" he paused to let his words sink in. "I need you to give him that extra push, help him question the order; and if his master seems to be getting in the way…let him join his foolish master."

Zorah was silent as the man let out a hellish laugh. When he silenced, she asked her final question: "What if—what if he won't turn, master?"

The Sith's expression suddenly turned serious again. "Then I'll have no use for him, will I?"

"Of course, master," Zorah quickly replied, upset with herself for souring his mood. "When do I leave?"

"In a month; but you must have an elaborate ploy which I have personally constructed for you—since you are going alone, it will seem odd to the Jedi that you are not with your Master or another Jedi—until they hear your story."

Coruscant (Two Months later)

The meeting with the Jedi council was almost over; they had all come to a unanimous decision: Obi-Wan and Anakin had to go to Tatooine.

"Master Yoda," Obi-Wan asked. "Are you sure that this 'informant can be trusted?"

The aged Jedi Master shook his head. "Unclear it is to me, but to Tatooine you must go."

Anakin was anxious to return to his home planet, for even though it held bitter memories for him, he felt compelled to return.

Mace Windu shook his head. "This is very unclear to us, but it will do more harm than good if we don't investigate. It could very well be true that Grievous is planning an attack on Coruscant."

Adi Gallia nodded. "Yes master Windu, but he has never been known to operate on Tatooine."

"Soon enough we will see," Yoda said, putting an end to their discussion. "Go to Tatooine today you should—and cautious you must be," he advised Anakin and Obi-Wan.

"Yes master," they said simultaneously.

Anakin and Obi-Wan had quickly packed some belongings and set out for Tatooine on a transport. They changed out of their Jedi robes and put on clothes to make themselves fit in with the locals of Tatooine.

Whilst on the transport, Anakin kept on thinking about the informant and why she had never shown her face in the mysterious holograms that she sent to him and Obi-Wan. He knew that she couldn't be a Sith, for there was no reason for her to try and foil a plot aimed to destroy the planet which served as the Jedi headquarters.

No matter how hard he tried, Anakin couldn't seem to put a face to this informer. Obi-Wan noted his former Padawan's silence, but he only thought that it was the anxiety of returning to his home planet.

"Anakin," he said to the Jedi Knight as he stared out the window of the transport. "It will be alright—you have nothing to be anxious about."

Anakin turned to face Obi-Wan. "I really don't know—I can't help but be anxious about returning to the place where I spent most of my childhood," he said.

Obi-Wan studied Anakin's face and knew that something else was also plaguing his mind. "Is there something else that you want to talk to me about, Anakin?" the Jedi Master asked with sincere concern.

Anakin shook his head. "I'm fine, master Kenobi," he replied.

Obi-Wan frowned, knowing that something was on Anakin's mind; but he left the young man to his thoughts as he decided to get some rest before they reached Tatooine.

Darth Zorah watched the two Jedi Knights exit the transport on the boarding ramp. She smiled to herself as she realized how easily she had baited them. She easily identified the Jedi Master and the Jedi Knight; she already knew that it wouldn't be an easy task, yet she was up to the challenge.

"Everything is going according to our plan," she said into what seemed to be thin air, but she was truly corresponding with someone through an earplug.

"Good," said a male voice on the other end. "Don't forget who your story—it must sound believable."

Zorah smiled to herself and fingered the hilt of the deactivated green lightsaber which she had…taken from an unfortunate Jedi. "How can I forget? I am Jedi Knight Padmé Amidala."


	2. Padme's Story

_**A/N:**Thanks to those of you who read and reviewed! I'm so sorry I couldn't reply (I've been busy up to my eyeballs!). I hope that you enjoy this chappy and keep the reviews coming! ;)_

**Jedi Knight247**

**Chapter Two: Padmé's Story**

After exiting the ship, Anakin and Obi-Wan felt lost—even though they were already in the spaceport of Mos Eisley.

Anakin secretly hoped that the 'informer' would show up and lead them to this evidence. He didn't utter a word to Obi-Wan about it, but obediently.

000

Padmé, who had slipped ahead of the men, made her way into a dark alleyway and waited for them to come near. She would put her plan into motion.

Suddenly a voice rang in her earplug.

"Is everything going accordingly?" a young male voice asked.

Padmé smiled to herself; she knew this voice all too well—the man had been concerned for her since day one of the plan.

"Yes, everything is going perfectly; tell master Sidious that he need not worry—" Padmé was going to say something else, but cut herself off when she saw two familiar shadows passing by. "I have to go," she said, terminating their connection.

As Anakin and Obi-Wan were walking past a dark alleyway, they heard an urgent voice behind them.

"Come, quickly!" a female voice hissed.

Unsure if they were the ones she was calling, the Jedi Knight and Master turned around to see a woman adorned in Jedi robes staring intently at them.

Before they could utter a word, Padmé spoke. "You both know me—although this is the first time you have ever seen my face."

It didn't take long for the duo to realize who she was. "You're the informer!" Obi-Wan exclaimed. "Have you come to show us the evidence of Grievous' mysterious activity?"

Padmé nodded, surprised that Jedi of such high ranking were so easily fooled by her ploy. None of them seemed to notice, though, that Anakin was bewitched by the woman.

"I will, but we must do it discretely—Sith spies could be anywhere."

"How do we know that you can be trusted?" Obi-Wan said, his cautious side taking over once again.

"Master Kenobi," Anakin intercepted. "With all due respect, she risked her life to bring us such valuable information, and now you question her loyalties?" it was obvious that Anakin was annoyed by Obi-Wan's caution.

"It's alright," Padmé said, stepping closer to them, and ultimately testing the boundaries of the plan—she wanted to make sure that they couldn't sense the dark side in her. Nothing happened.

Padmé continued normally. "I understand why you question me, master Kenobi. Time is not on our side, but to kill your doubts I will tell you as briefly as I can."

Obi-Wan made no objection and let her tell her tale.

"I was once a Sith apprentice far on the Outer Rim—I had been taken from my home planet and was forced to learn the ways of the Sith…until my future Master came along…Sherar Redblade. He took me as his Padawan, but we were hunted by the Sith and by an unfortunate incident, he died to save my life. I then wandered around helpless and without direction; I continued to find out what I could about the Sith so that I might know what vile deed they were planning—"

Obi-Wan took liberty to interrupt. "Did it ever occur to you to go to Coruscant?" he asked with minor suspicion.

Padmé/Zorah laughed in spite of herself. "How could I? The Sith had every spaceport watched—that is, until I found Mirah. She was a bounty hunter, but also owned a ship; when she told me that Grievous was operating in Tatooine, and agreed to take me there, I didn't think about Coruscant, until I started to warn you. Fearing that the major spaceports might still be watched, I sent you holograms and didn't show my face in case it fell into the wrong hands; and as you can see, I was hiding in the dark alleyway, for I was certain that you might pass by if you wanted to get to the most popular Cantina."

Anakin nodded, instantly approving her story. "It makes complete sense, Master Kenobi—she has no reason to lie."

Obi-Wan was silent for a few moments until he finally came to a decision. "Take us to the evidence," he said decisively.

000

Meanwhile on Korriban, a young man stared out of a large window and surveyed the desolate plains. He and Darth Zorah had severed contact minutes earlier for some unknown reason, yet the man's personal intuition told him that she had spotted the Jedi.

Ever since he and Darth Zorah first met at the Sith Academy, they had struck an instant connection, they had grown quite close since, yet when Sith duty called, they had to abandon those feelings so that they could be focused for the task at hand.

The man knew that there was a chance that he would get sent to Coruscant to be an extra set of eyes and ears—and he hoped that Darth Sidious would finalize that decision, for he knew full well what would happen to Zorah if she were to be found out—those wretched Jedi would kill her!

He couldn't let that happen; no, he wouldn't let that happen. He had had strong feelings for Darth Zorah when they were at the Academy together, now as he had matured; those feelings had evolved into something greater.

Perhaps he should have told her before she left…perhaps.

000

They didn't have to walk far from Mos Eisley to reach the place where there was evidence of General Grievous' occupation. Of course the General had fled by now, but Anakin and Obi-Wan hoped that he had left behind something to give them a clue of his whereabouts; the Jedi had been searching for Grievous for a long time. Obi-Wan hoped that this woman, who had just informed them that her name was Padmé, would play a key role in finding him…after all, the Jedi need all the help that they could get when it came to searching for Grievous.

The said area seemed as though it had been abandoned in a hurry: the prefab shelters were still upright and there were still weapons littering the area. Some animals, used for transportation, had been slain for they were extra baggage.

Anakin and Obi-Wan looked in disbelief. All traces of doubt that Obi-Wan had harbored for Padmé were gone.

Anakin, on the other hand, hadn't doubted the woman's word—instead, he had become instantly infatuated by her.


	3. Coruscant and the Jedi Council

**The Traitor**

**Chapter Three: Coruscant and the Jedi Council**

Without further delay they had decided to return to Coruscant to report both of their findings to the Jedi Council; Padmé couldn't help being nervous as they boarded the transport to take them back to Coruscant.

Her ploy might have worked on Obi-Wan and Anakin, but she was beginning to have her doubts if it would work.

Darth Sidious had happily explained to her that he had come quite close to the Jedi and that they never even so much as suspected him of anything. When he said this to her she had been puzzled, and still didn't know what ploy he was using to infiltrate himself into the heart of the Jedi.

"Padmé?" asked a male voice, jolting her out of her thoughts.

She turned to her right and found herself staring into Anakin's intense eyes. "Yes," she answered quickly.

"You, uh…you seemed so lost in thought," the Jedi replied.

Padmé realized at that moment that she'd have to avoid thinking about her plan too often, lest she should slip up.

"I was just thinking about Coruscant," Padmé said, answering Anakin's unanswered question. "I've never been there before so it'll be quite an experience to enter the Jedi Temple!"

Anakin nodded knowingly. "That's exactly how I felt when I first came here with Master Kenobi and Master Jinn," he almost choked the last words out for he remembered the loss of the man who had taken him away from his bondage in Tatooine.

They continued to talk for hours and Obi-Wan silently observed this, and was slightly amazed by their connection. Even though he no longer held doubt about whether or not she could be trusted, he knew that if she was a spy, the Jedi Council would surely sift her out.

CORUSCANT

When the trio finally landed on Coruscant and arrived at the Jedi Temple, a young Jedi told them that the Council were expecting them.

Padmé's stomach churned within her as the three made their way to meet the Jedi Council—if she failed this task, then all would be lost.

The doors slid open and they formally greeted the eleven seated Jedi Masters.

"Greetings," Yoda began. "Returned soon from Tatooine you did, yes; returned soon you did," and turning his eyes on Padmé he said, "Identify yourself."

Padme held her composure surprisingly well. "I am Padmé Amidala—the one who informed you of Grievous' activity."

Yoda and the rest of the Jedi Masters surveyed her from head to foot.

"So certain she can be trusted, are you, Master Kenobi?" he suddenly asked.

"Yes Master Yoda, her tale is very trustworthy—and she led us to the site where Grievous was operating."

Adi Gallia decided to step into the conversation. "And what did you find?"

Obi-Wan's eyes sparkled when he recalled their findings, for it showed that the Jedi were not far behind Grievous. Step by step he recounted the events in Tatooine. Padmé even retold her story.

"We must listen to what the Force is trying to tell us if we are to find General Grievous," said Mace Windu.

"Stay here in the Temple all three of you will," Yoda said. "Trustworthy you seem, Jedi Amidala."

Padmé wanted to beam at what Yoda said: She had fooled the Jedi Council!

As they left, Anakin, who had not uttered a single word in the chamber, still battled inwardly within himself—for he knew that his feelings for Padmé were forbidden by the Jedi Order, his eyes fell on her once again and he wondered if she had felt the same way when she first saw him. He quickly scolded himself, though. _"This is not the Jedi way," _he reminded himself.

Padmé had noticed the way that Anakin acted around her, she couldn't help but smile at his blatant stupidity, yet she knew that if she could somehow manipulate those feelings, it would be easier to turn him to the dark side of the Force.

000

Meanwhile, in one of the massive hallways of the Jedi Temple Adi Gallia and Saesee Tiin were in a deep and important discussion.

"I am not certain that she can be trusted," Saesee said firmly. "I was getting mixed feelings."

Adi nodded. "I sensed the disturbance; yet I'm uncertain of how Master Yoda, Master Windu and our other fellow Council members missed it."

Saesee scratched his hairless chin in thought, wearing his usual grim face, the humanoid came to a decision. "We have nothing but our feelings to back up our claims, I say that we watch Amidala a little closer—maybe the Force is trying to tell us something."

Adi nodded. "I couldn't agree more, hopefully we have no reason to suspect her, but one cannot be certain."

000

In Korriban, lord Demetrius awaited a hologram from Sidious; he had gone about his necessary training and had even investigated a possible sighting of Jedi—he had, of course, done this with his fellow Sith.

As he lay on his neat bed with his arms folded behind his head, the hologram flickered to life; he instantly sat up and awaited the message.

A black hooded figure revealed itself and he knew this to be Darth Sidious.

"Greetings, lord Demetrius," Sidious began. "I have long been thinking about whether or not to send you for fear that you might…endanger the mission."

"Of course not, lord Sidious, I want nothing more than to have the Jedi annihilated from the galaxy!"

"Ah, but I fear that your feelings for Lady Zorah might get in the way, but nonetheless, I should like to have an extra pair of eyes and ears…you too shall come to Coruscant and will take up you role as-"

"A Jedi in the Jedi Temple?" Demetrius asked in a hope filled voice.

"No," Sidious scolded. "You will take up residence with me at my office—you will pose as my bodyguard."

Demetrius didn't dare show his disappointment. "Yes my lord," he replied dutifully. "When do I leave?"

"Today," Sidious cackled.

Before he could say anything else, the image flickered, and then disappeared.


End file.
